


Paper Rings

by gloriwithani



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25079305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloriwithani/pseuds/gloriwithani
Summary: Part of the Shirbert Song Project!Based on the song Paper Rings by Taylor Swift. Set on modern day with the Avonlea gang in college.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Sebastian "Bash" Lacroix, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40
Collections: Shirbert Song Project 2020





	1. The Moon is High

Modern Day

The moon is high like his friends the night they first met, in Avonlea University’s deserted library only two students remained, a girl with fiery red hair who sat reading Pride and Prejudice and a boy with chocolate curls reading a medical book. Both enraptured by their literary worlds did not seem to notice they were the only ones left at the desolate library that Friday afternoon. It was only from the sound of a group of boys and girls opening the door did they notice their surroundings. 

‘’Gilbert!’’ exclaimed a boy who was later to known to be named Moody ‘’We’ve been looking for you everywhere! We’re hitting a party, wanna come?’’ he asked. 

The girl with red hair looked up from her book to see two girls approaching her aswell ‘’Anne, we just met these charming young men, and they have invited us to a party, come with us!’’ Diana said.

‘’Oh Diana I can’t, I’ve just reached the part where Elizabeth has completely denied Mr. Darcy and I NEED to keep reading’’ Anne said as she went back to her book.

‘’Oh Anne enough is enough! We are going to a party with two guys we’ve never met before and we’re going to have fun!’’ Ruby exclaimed  
‘’Actually, make that three’’ Moody said as they dragged Gilbert out of his chair. 

‘’I call dibs on the tall cute one’’ Ruby whispered to the girls.

And so, they headed out excitedly, except Anne and Gilbert who dragged behind the group lethargically.

‘’Don’t like parties?’’ Gilbert asked as he saw Anne peeking at her book as they walked. 

‘’There’s just other things I’d rather be doing with my time.’’ Anne responded, she had met Ruby and Diana only a few weeks before in the freshmen orientation and still was trying to get them to like her. ‘’I’m sorry I haven’t even asked for your name, I’m Anne, spelled with an e’’ 

‘’Spelled with an e, got it. My name is Gilbert, parties aren’t really by scene either…but I guess if a cute girl like you is here it won’t be that bad’’ Gilbert smirked.

Anne’s cheeks turned red but she came to remember Ruby’s words of wanting the boy who had just complimented her, what a terrible new friend she would be if she flirted with the guy Ruby was interested in, especially since she was trying to find a place in their friend group with the rest of the girls. 

Abruptly Anne sped up to walk next to Diana and decided the only just decision was too ignore the guy for the rest of the night, as the saying goes hoes before bros, right? She thought as she tried to make casual conversation with the boy Charlie. 

As they reached the loud house blasting profane music, they knew they had reached the party. As they walked inside, they all found their natural order. Diana and Ruby immediatley going to dance with Moody and Charlie, Anne roaming through the halls of the house looking for a quite place to read, and Gilbert hanging lowly around the corner. 

Gilbert was still frowning on his obvious rejection from the book girl, slightly offended. Was it something he said? It couldn’t have been they spoke for two seconds; he’d never been shut down that quickly. If it was the last thing he did, he would get the book girl to talk to him.   
His target was standing in the corner drinking out of a red solo cup looking around the party uninterestingly, leaning on the marble counter examining the faces of drunk college students.

As he casually approached, she tensed up. ‘’Nice party huh?’’ he said.

She quickly glanced at him but made no attempt to respond, going back to staring at the crowd. 

‘’I’m surprised I haven’t seen you before’’ he added as she began to walk away. 

‘’And she’s gone’’ he murmured to himself. He was definitely amused on why this girl was actively avoiding him, he couldn’t have offended her in the one minute exchange they had shared. 

As Diana and Ruby got tired of dancing, the group reassembled and went to one of the bed rooms, they sat in a circle, Gilbert ’coincidentally’ sitting next to Anne who was holding her cup anxiously. Suddenly with no words spoken Charlie and Diana began making out, Ruby reaching for Gilbert as her ‘partner’ but was stopped by Moody leaning in for a kiss which she felt obliged to accept but would later recall as the kiss of a lifetime. Anne looked around awkwardly to find the only person left not smashing their lips to someone else was Gilbert.

‘’nice weather huh?’’ Gilbert teased but Anne unwilling to budge redirected her attention to the book she still had in her hand, she flipped through the pages and began reading. 

‘’why won’t you talk to me?’’ Gilbert whined, then came a seemingly great idea to his mind, genius, he would even say. He extended his hand and in one swift motion pulled one of the redhead’s braid ‘’Carrots!’’

At first she ignored him because Ruby was interested in him, but now it was no longer about Ruby, because this boy was so stubborn! Clearly did not understand what 'no' meant, so let it be known that her next actions were made entirely out of her own merit. 

‘’I’M NOT TALKING TO YOU!’’ Anne yelled as she slammed the book shut grabbed her drink and spilled the alcohol wrenching drink on his head.   
The couples paused their kisses to examine the scene, Diana holding in a laugh. 

‘’you just did’’ Gilbert smirked 

‘’UGH’’ Anne groaned as she stormed off the room, Ruby and Diana after exchanging a look ran after the girl yelling her name. 

‘’Thanks a lot Gilbert, you lost us two hot babes!’’ Moody sighed 

‘’WHAT AN INCOMPETENT ASS” fumed Anne as she rushed out of the house, who’s music was now becoming obnoxiously loud for Anne’s taste. 

‘’Oh Anne why are you so upset, it was just a silly nickname’’ Ruby replied as they tried to keep up with the redhead’s fast pace.

‘’Silly nickname?! Ruby imagine having this awful red hair, and have someone call you carrots! It’s bad enough people call it red but carrots?! It’s the cruelest insult, my deepest remorse, shallowest betrayal!’’ Anne advocated.

‘’Sorry Anne, we didn’t know it was so hurtful to you. If you want, we will never see those boys again’’ Diana affirmed.

‘’but Dianaa, Moody was a really good kisser’’ Ruby muttered to Diana, as Diana replied by giving her a slap on the hand.

‘’Oh its okay it wouldn’t be fair to you guys to make you stop hanging out with them, go back inside and enjoy the party. I think I’ll just head back to the dorms. I’m tired anyway’’ Anne said.

‘’If you insist’’ Ruby said with a sigh, as she walked back inside the house.

‘’I’m tired too, lets walk back together’’ Diana replied as she held out her arm for Anne to take. She smiled as she took her offer. 

The night marked the beginning of the loving friendship of Diana and Anne, as they walked back to the forms hand in hand and admired the ominous night.   
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Anne shared her dorm with Ruby Gillis and Diana Barry, if you came to their room you would easily be able to recognize which bed was whose. In the left corner was a white lace canopy bed with pink bedding, in the middle a bed with royal blue sheets, and in the right corner a bed with simple brown sheets yet decorated with assorted leaves and flowers that could only be found in the forest next to the campus.  
Ruby was sitting on her bed as she talked about the time she shared with Moody as Diana listened intently and Anne wrote on her journal. Ruby had come back to their dorm an hour later looking as if struck by Cupid himself.

‘’Oh he’s such a nice guy, he said he would call me tomorrow. I hope he’s not one of those boys who says he will call but never does, Diana. I would hate to be waiting all day tomorrow for him to call and then have him not call at all’’ 

‘’don’t worry I’m sure he’ll call Ruby’’ Diana reassured. 

‘’Oh Anne, I know you hate Gilbert Blythe for what he said but when I went back into the room Gilbert was talking about how sorry he was and how he didn’t know the name was hurtful to you. He seemed real sorry Anne perhaps you should forgive him, he’s so handsome’’ Ruby said.

‘’Sorry doesn’t cut it. I will never forgive him’’ Anne replied simply, going back to her journal in determination. 

The night crept in steadily as Diana and Ruby went to sleep. However Anne’s night was becoming restless as it kept going back to brunette boy, she remembered seeing him reading in the library, he seemed so focused and interested. She couldn’t resist the curiosity that invaded her mind about him, she took out her phone and tried to find his social media, proving her search successful, Gilbert Blythe on Instagram appeared, he only had three photos posted, one was him in the Alberta mountains, another with an elderly man which from the caption seemed to be his father, and a last one of him with a man tagged ‘Bash’. As she looked at the comments of the picture with his father, she noticed most of them said ‘rest in peace’, his father was dead? Anne turned off her phone as she made the realization and went to bed putting away her thoughts of the mysterious Gilbert Blythe and his dead father.


	2. The Wine is Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wine is cold like the shoulder that I gave you in the street.

Moody did call Ruby, and Moody was now often seen in the girl’s dorms chatting away with Ruby, it wouldn’t have bothered Anne at all if it wasn’t for the fact that often tagging along with Moody was Gilbert Blythe. It seemed as Gilbert was not the sociable type and the few times he did go out and closed his medical books was with Moody, he showed no interest wanting any more friends. Anne always ignored him when we has around, she simply left to take a walk through the woods or took out a book to read laying in her bed. Sometimes she would look up and catch his steady gaze briefly before both turned away abruptly. 

The day was cold like the shoulder Anne gave him in the library that late December afternoon. It was known that Anne’s favorite spot was the library, roaming the aisles as she touched the books meticulously and imagined herself as her literary heroines. It was also known that Gilbert’s favorite spot was the library, the quiet hushed scene allowed him to focus on his books with no interruptions, sometimes he could even see the surgeries the books talked about in his head. The two saw each other quite often yet both made no attempts to try to talk to each other, it was Anne that established this nature between the pair. 

She had left her book in the table, as she went to the bathroom and when she returned left on the page she left on was a note that said ‘’I didn’t mean carrots as an insult, as a medical major I can tell you carrots have many health benefits, studies have shown they are linked to improved eye health :)’’ Her face burned red as she crumpled up the paper and threw it in the garbage in front of his eyes. He furrowed his eyebrows and went back to his book slightly insulted. 

However, he would not give up that easily, and the next night when he saw her concentrated on writing something on her computer, he sat just across the table from her.

‘’Gilbert’’ she formally greeted not looking away from her computer.

‘’Anne’’ he responded with the same tone, as she worked he scribbled something on a paper and dragged it across the table.

Anne sighed as she finally looked away from her computer to grab the note ‘’I’m really very sorry, can we start over’’. She looked up to meet his eyes, they were soft and apologetic, and for some reason her refuted anger dissolved into nothing as her gaze softened as well. 

She sighed ‘’Hi I’m Anne, spelled with an e’’ she extended her arm for him to shake.

He furrowed his eyebrows in amusement as he took her arm and shook it ‘’Hello I’m Gilbert’’ and feeling risky he added ‘’So you come here often?’’ 

She giggled, giggled? Since when did she giggle? 

She turned back to her study books forcing herself to not look up though failing miserably often and sneaking peaks. 

Since that day of recalled truce, the pair sat across each other at the library, occasionally stealing looks from each other. They were the thieves of each other’s eyes and soon Anne knew every hint of green in his hazel eyes and he knew every freckle on her cheeks (57 by the way, he had counted). There were days they would not talk at all but just enjoy each other’s company as they poured themselves into their books. There were other days were their books were simply tossed aside as they talked hours on end. 

‘’I'm glad I finally found someone as studious as me, it was quite lonesome’’ she said as they poured over their notes one afternoon.

‘’Are you implying that you enjoy my company Anne’’ He smirked, she simply rolled her eyes and grinned. 

She looked up as he went back to reading, he was beautiful and it was annoying, she often caught herself staring at him while he was distracted, wishing she could trace her fingers on his pale cheeks. but he was also so different. He never went out of his way to talk to people which was the opposite of Anne, he only let his guard down with people he was comfortable with and spent most of his time locked in his room by choice. 

‘’We are so different you know?’’ Anne said as she rested her head on her hand. 

‘’huh?’’ Gilbert looked up dazed 

‘’You and me, I mean. You’re so real’’ she said, earning a laugh from him. 

‘’What does that mean?’’

‘’You live in now, like everything happening right now, the notes your taking, the class your walking to, even now your paying attention as if nothing else is happening’’ she catches his attentive gaze ‘’Whereas I live in thoughts, when im walking to class I’m not really walking but thinking about what would happen if right that moment some random guy bumped into me and he was actually a secret FBI agent and he’s been hired to find out who in the school is working with the Russian forces but defies his mission as we start to fall in love and before I know it Im already in class and the lecture already began’’

Gilbert chuckles ‘’Ah so you’re a hopeless romantic?’’ 

She scrunches up her nose ‘’I guess so, it sounds cheesy when you say it like that’’ 

‘’I think people make love so dramatic for no reason, those cringy love confessions in books make me want to claw my eyes out’’

She gasped ‘’How dare you! Love confessions are incredibly romantics especially love letters’’ 

He smiled and shook his head in disapproval and went back to his book, pointless in arguing with her about the subject, and as she left to put a book back in the shelf and came back, she found a folded paper on top of her notebook,   
‘’To my Anne-girl, your freckles remind me of the starry night. I wish I could count each one’’ 

Before she could help it her cheeks reddened; she looked up and chuckled ‘’What a way with words Gilbert Blythe, careful or I’ll fall in love with you’’


	3. Cat and Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Which takes me back to the color we painted your brother's wall.

Gilbert came to the habit of sneaking silly love notes to her, Anne rolling her eyes at his cheesy compliments and flirts. Secretly adoring his perfect cursive writing, how we dragged the line of the A in her name, and wrote as if they were poetic forbidden lovers. She wondered if he meant them, did he mean it when he said her eyes reminded him of the waves crashing in southern Italy? She would probably never know.

‘’Anne what’s in this box?’’ Diana asked as she grabbed a teal blue small box under Anne’s bed. She had been cleaning the dorm. 

‘’NO DON’T OPEN THA-‘’ Anne exclaimed but it was too late as Diana had already opened the lid and peeked inside, she grabbed the small papers inside.  
‘’Anne what are these notes?’’ she asked as she read the small writings and grinned in surprise ‘’Are these from Gilbert?’’ 

Anne sighed ‘’Please don’t tell anyone about this!’’ 

“Anne Shirley Cuthbert well I’ll be, you have a crush on Gilbert Blythe!!’’ She gasped.

‘’N-no I don’t’’ Anne argued 

‘’Why else would you keep these notes?’’ Diana interrogated. 

‘’Oh, why does it matter?! He would never like me’’ Anne relented as she fell on her bed dramatically.

Diana picked up one of the notes and read it ‘’Your hair is the color of the eternally burning fire in my heart for you’’ she looked at Anne expectantly ‘’You can’t possibly not see that he likes you!’’

‘’He’s always just joking, I don’t think he really means it’’ she pouted 

‘’Oh, please you two have been playing cat and mouse for months now!’’ Diana exclaimed, but Anne only sighed and buried her face in her pillow. 

‘’You’re so oblivious Anne’’ Diana simply said as she put the box away and left the dorm.

\-------------------------------------------------

It was a quiet afternoon as Gilbert and Anne drank their coffee in the school library while doing homework, they usually didn’t talk much during their study sessions but simply enjoyed looking up to see the other. It was just what Anne was doing when Gilbert’s phone began ringing and he looked up.

‘’hey, whats up?’’ he asked into the phone. The voice from the other line seemed mad as his voice could even be heard from Anne.

‘’Gilbert where are you?! You said you would paint the bedroom before Mary got home and I’m about to go pick her up’’ the person on the other line yelled in worried.

Gilbert’s eyes lit up ‘’Oh my god I didn’t even notice the time, I was studying with Anne. I’m going right now’’ 

The way he said her name made her heart spring Anne not some random friend or classmate but Anne, as if the person on the other line knew her, had he talked about her?

Gilbert hung up the phone and looked at Anne apologetically ‘’I’m sorry Anne, I promised my brother I would paint his and his wife’s bedroom and completely forgot. I have to go’’ 

Perhaps it was the fact that his brother knew her name or that she wanted an excuse to not continue working on her geometry homework but she said ‘’I can help’’

This took Gilbert off guard as he turned to her looking confused but as he recovered from the surprise he smiled ‘’Really?’’

‘’Yeah why not? I’m extremely bored’’ Anne said as she gathered her stuff and began walking out with him. 

They got inside the car as they settled into idly chatter about their classes, 

‘’Your car is so..’ Anne said as she settled into the passenger seat.

‘’What’s wrong with it?’’ he laughed

‘’Its so impersonal, like there’s nothing here. You should see Cordelia’’ Anne bragged, as she looked around the plain leather seats and cup holders completely emtpy as if never even touched. 

‘’Who’s cordelia?’’  
‘’My car of course, she’s a beauty’’ Anne explained as Gilbert laughed ‘’What’s so funny?’’

‘’Nothing its just that I thought only frat boys named their cars’’ 

‘’How dare you! This magnificent car takes you everywhere and you won’t even grant it a name! You have to name it’’ Anne argued.

‘’Fine what do you suggest? Frank?’’ Gilbert said.

‘’Frank? Absolutely not, he’s not a Frank…Olly short for Oliver’’ she decided ‘’and you can only call it Oliver when you’re mad at him’’ 

This time when Gilbert laughed, Anne did too. Soon they arrived at a small house, all the windows were open with a small garden behind was covered with vibrant apple trees. 

‘’There’s no way this is your brother’s house’’ she gawked as she left the car.

‘’Why?’’ he asked

‘’BECAUSE ITS AMAZING’’ she yelled as she ran to the garden to admire the apple trees.

Gilbert followed behind her, he reached for one of the reddest apples and handed it to Anne with a nod. She bit into it with a face of satisfaction as she let the flavor sink into her mouth. 

‘’Okay I’ve fed you; lets get inside and start working before Bash gets home and kills me’’  
She followed him into the house as she admired the framed photos around the walls, pictures of Gilbert and a man both wearing boyish grins, was that his brother?

‘’He’s not my brother by blood’’ Gilbert said as if sensing her confusion ‘’but he’s still my family’’ 

Anne nodded not wanting to push him to talk about something he wasn’t ready to discuss. They entered the bedroom he had led them to, it was empty with only a bed in the middle, the walls were a dark green that sucked the light out of the room with a single window looking out into the garden. 

‘’Did they just move in?’’ Anne asked 

‘’We’ve lived here for a long time but after Bash and Mary got married he wanted to paint the walls light blue, he never really cared to paint it since now’’ 

‘’Do you want to take off your clothes?’’ Gilbert asked

Anne’s eyes widened and she blushed furiously, Gilbert finally realizing what he just said, blushed too ‘’S- So they don’t get paint on them, you can borrow one of my t-shirts’’ 

As realization hit her, she blushed harder for assuming on what he meant. She nodded as a thick silence filled them. Gilbert finally left and came back with a Rolling Stones t-shirt, he handed to her.

‘’Where’s your bathroom?’’ she asked.

‘’To your left’’ 

It was silly but as soon as she closed the bathroom door, she couldn’t help but press the t-shirt against her nose and inhale, it smelled exactly like him, it gave her a thrill knowing she would be wearing it. She was starting to think that maybe she liked him more than a friend.  
When she came back in the room with his t-shirt Gilbert released a sigh, his entire body saying she’s wearing my shirt, she’s wearing something that’s mine.

‘’Let’s get to painting before your brother kills you’’ Anne teased as she grabbed a paint roller and dipped it in the paint.

‘’What’s your favorite color?’’ Anne asked, Gilbert shot her an amused look but answered anyways 

‘’Red’’ he said simply

Anne glared at him, but he only grinned as he suppressed a laugh ‘’what about you?’’

‘’Blue, robins blue maybe or perhaps green, because of the trees, or maybe pink –‘’ she began ranting, it was weird the way Gilbert stared at her, like he was really actually listening, not the half exasperated look people usually gave her when she talked a lot, she tried to hide the fact that this triggered butterflies fluttering in her stomach ‘’So why do you like red?’’ 

‘’Reminds me of carrots’’ he snickered, he laughed at her shocked her expression almost not noticing when Anne splashed paint at his arm.  
His laugh fell, and for a moment Anne felt she hit a nerve and went to apologize but before she could get a word out, Gilbert splashes paint on her face.

‘’Big mistake Gilbert Blythe’’ she says as she starts chasing him around with her paint roller, they’re laughing so hard they can barely breathe, Anne finally gets paint on his cheek, and now Anne is running away from him around the room. At last Gilbert corners her, and she stands against the wall, his arms blocking her escape. Their laugh suddenly drops and Gilbert's eyes which were so set on hers drop slowly until the reach her lips, hers simultaneously moving along with his. He’s leaning in slowly, almost painfully slow for Anne’s liking. 

‘’What the hell happened?!’’ they hear a voice say by the doorway, they both jump and abruptly look away, as Gilbert takes his hands away.  
Gilbert clears his throat ‘’Bash’’ it was not until this moment that Gilbert and Anne looked around the room and realized that they had gotten paint everywhere during their paint fight.  
Bash’s face suddenly turns into a smirk as he registers Anne’s presence ‘’And who might this young lady be?’’  
Gilbert shoots him a death glare, as Anne steps forward to shake Bash’s hand. 

‘’Anne Shirley Cuthbert, Anne spelled with an e, pleased to meet you’’ she grinned quickly recovering from her embarrassment of being caught like that with Gilbert.

Bash’s eyes light up and he chuckles ‘’So you’re the famous Anne we keep hearing about! I was starting to think Gilbert was making you up’’  
Anne blushes as Gilbert shoots Bash another death glare.

‘’Well he didn’t exaggerate when he said you were pretty, I really have to thank you, you keep this boy at his toes with his studies.’’ Bash continues chuckling as Anne though deemed impossible turns even redder, and Gilbert is scratching the back of his neck and silently begging god for Bash to shut up.

‘’Um I- sorry about the mess’’ Anne musters to say.

‘’Ah no worries, I think Mary would like the surprise that Gilbert brought a girl home more than painting the room’’ 

‘’So where’s Mary?’’ Gilbert asks praying to change the subject. 

‘’I heard my name!’’ A woman with beautiful black hair and glowing skin enters the room, she has a smile plastered on her face. 

‘’Mary! Look what our young Gilbert has brought home’’ 

‘’Oh Bash leave the poor boy alone, I’m Mary’’ she says, earning a grateful look from Gilbert.

‘’I’m Anne, its nice to meet you’’ she shakes her hand and she can’t help but already feel a kindred spirit in her ‘’We wanted to surprise you with the painted room but we kinda got off track’’ 

Gilbert and Anne share a knowing look and chuckle, earning Bash and Mary to look at each other smirking. 

‘’Well might as well finish’’ Mary says as she grabs the paint roller, they look at each other but at the end decide to go along with her plan and paint.  
They fall into a comfortable conversation as is Bash retelling Anne how he met Gilbert, Anne giggling at their playful demeanor. Its weird seeing Gilbert  
like this, in their classes and hangouts he’s always so serious, but here he seems so comfortable, playful, a whole new side of him she can’t help but love.

When they finish Gilbert drives Anne back to the dorms, to both of their dismays they make it back fairly quickly.  
‘’Today was fun’’ Anne said 

Gilbert nodded ‘’Now you know how I suffer’’, Anne giggles 

‘’You seemed so layed back’’ she adds

Gilbert doesn’t ask her to clarify he knows exactly what she means.

‘’I like that side of you’’ she says as she opens the car door and leaves; her confidence doesn’t go as far to wait for his reply.


	4. I Want to Drive Away with You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gilbert and Anne go on yet another adventure !

It had been a month since Diana had found Anne’s secret stash of Gilbert’s notes but it was far from forgotten. Though she promised Anne not to say a word to anyone else she still teased her endlessly when she came back from the library grasping a note on her fist. 

‘’Ladies, put on your sluttiest outfits, weeee are going out tonight!’’ Diana squealed as she burst the door upon to the room where Anne was reading and Ruby was scrolling on her phone. 

‘’Can I invite Moody?’’ Ruby immediately asked. 

‘’Ugh fine, go call your loverboy’’ Diana said ‘’Anne, what do you say?’’ she asked 

‘’Oh I don’t know, I thought tonight would be more of a stay at home in pj's kind of night’’ Anne said

‘’Just texted Moody, he said he and Gilbert are walking towards our room now to walk to the party together’’ Ruby chirped.

‘’Well I guess maybe going to a party wouldn’t hurt’’ Anne added. 

Diana rolled her eyes ‘’you are unbelievable’’ she teased 

The girls decided to change, Ruby deciding on a pink tank top with jeans, Diana a purple romper, and Anne a dark green ditsy dress coating a thick coat of black mascara and red lip gloss. The girls looked at each other knowingly, noticing Anne's appearance. 

‘’Aren’t you dressing to impress Anne’’ Ruby joked 

‘’Can’t a girl put in a little effort once in a while not be questioned?’’ Anne grunted, a little smile playing on her face.

Soon they heard a knock on the door, awaiting them, Moody and Gilbert greeted them as they began walking to the party. They all greeted each other, Gilbert's eyes landing on Anne's for far longer than usual. 

‘’You saw the new episode right?!’’ Gilbert asked Anne as they began walking, their steps synchronized on the sidewalk. 

‘’What episode?’’ Diana questioned

‘’Oh its nothing, it's just a docu-series Gilbert and I like’’ Anne shyly replied

‘’What’s it about?’’ Moody asked

‘’Um it’s about how scientists are using botany in modern medicine’’ Anne murmured

The group laughed ‘’You two are such dorks’’ Diana giggled

They both rolled their eyes, and glanced at each other and smiled. 

They arrived at the party, naturally Ruby and Diana immediately went to the dance floor as Ruby dragged Moody along too. 

Anne and Gilbert went to the kitchen and grabbed two beers. 

‘’Please make sure I don’t get drunk Gilbert, I have a study group meeting early tomorrow’’ Anne pleaded.

‘’As long as you make sure I don’t get drunk either’’ 

Anne stuck out her pinky finger, Gilbert chuckled but returned the gesture. 

‘’ANNE DANCE WITH ME” Diana yelled, as she approached Anne and dragged her to dance floor. 

Anne willingly allowed being led away yet couldn’t help but look back at Gilbert one last time. She became lost in the crowd, as Diana handed her another beer. And another beer, another beer, why’s the room spinning? Doesn’t matter just keep dancing. 

‘’I’m gonna go get another beer Diana’’ Anne slurred as she left the dancing crowd.

‘’Gilbertttt did I tell you, you look so good tonight?’’ Anne said as she bumped into the curly-haired boy in the kitchen ‘’I mean you always look good, but today…and I thought you were hot before’’ she   
remarked stumbling on her words as she opened yet another beer. 

‘’You are definitely drunk, that might be my fault. I pinky promised’’ Gilbert said as he tried to hide his blush from her words. 

‘’Screw pinky promises! Do you know where the beers are? Also, where am I?’’ 

Gilbert chuckled ‘’I should probably walk you to your dorm’’ 

‘’The night is young Gil, why would we go home?!’ Anne replied, struggling to keep herself standing straight. 

‘’Because you have an early meeting tomorrow’’ he reasoned as he grabbed her shoulders taking her away from the hectic crowd. Anne however resisted still looking for a beer through the empty coolers. 

‘’What are you, my mom?! Fun fact my mom is dead’’ Anne said swinging back and forth ‘’Both my parents are dead, IM AN ORPHAN!’’ she cheered as she finally found a beer and took a sip. 

‘’Yes I’m definitely getting you home’’ Gilbert said as he grabbed her arm and threw the beer in the recycling bin. (Cause my king ALWAYS recycles)

The street they walked on was empty, the starless night’s only light was the dim street lights. Anne had taken off her heels now carrying them with her right hand as she hanged on to Gilbert’s arm with the other; in different circumstances, Anne would have noted they looked romantic walking in the middle of the silent street. 

‘’I feel so sad for the moon’’ Anne pouted ‘’it’s all alone up there, the stars can’t be seen in this part of the city, and the sun well the sun is hiding too’’

‘’DON’T WORRY MOON I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND’’ Anne screamed into the empty night, and Gilbert couldn’t help but laugh. 

Anne chatted away with him, telling him about everything that came to her head, he listened intently, amused by her new mood.   
They reached the dorms as Gilbert stood by her door and she collapsed in her bed, exhausted. 

‘’Thank you for walking me home Gilbert, you are actually really nice, I thought you were asshole’’ Anne mumbled half asleep.

‘’Uh thank you?’’ he smirked, his words flowed into the air unheard as the girl was already fast asleep. He couldn’t help but stare at her, she looked so peaceful which was odd as she was always arguing about something. They had formed a truce ever since that day at the library but every once in awhile, they would fight who was the smartest, or who could name more states in 30 seconds and Anne was not a good loser. Did he like her? Yes in a silly boy school crush type way, he would flirt, she would roll his eyes and that was their routine, and besides, she couldn’t possibly be interested. 

\-------------------------------  
The next morning, Gilbert arrived in front of her room with a cup of coffee and donuts, with a little grin he knocked on the door holding up his peace offerings. Anne was not amused she crossed her arms as she opened the door/ 

‘’You got a lot of nerve showing up here Gilbert Blythe’’ Anne crossed her arms ‘’You pinky promised to not let me get drunk!’’ 

‘’I know I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention to your alcohol consumption, but I brought donuts’’ Gilbert held up the donuts, Anne rolled her eyes and snatched the bag. They walked out of the dorm to not   
wake up Diana and Ruby who were still sleeping off the hangover. 

‘’Have any plans this morning?’’ he asked, 

‘’Not particularly, I slept through the study group. What do you have in mind?’’ she inquired as they walked towards the parking lot. 

‘’You, me, forest and if we happen to fall in love over a cascading waterfall then we must accept destiny’’ he teased.

‘’Haha in your dreams Blythe’’ Anne said, they got in his car as he began driving towards the mountains. Most went there to get high or run illegal weed farms but the few people like Anne and Gilbert hiked through the trails just to admire the scenery and conduct ‘pensive and life-altering thinking’ as Anne liked to put it. 

‘’So do you remember last night?’’ Gilbert asked

‘’I wasn’t that drunk Gilbert, I was just…tipsy’’ Anne retaliated.

‘’Was the whole thing about your parents true?’’ 

‘’Ah that’’ she said ‘’They are dead yes, they died when I was a baby’. She looked out the window, and fidgeted with her hands something she regularly did when her parents were mentioned, she never knew her parents but she was sure that they loved her, how different her life would have been if maybe they were alive.   
‘’You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to’’ he comforted

‘’It’s okay, I was in the foster system for a while until Marilla and Matthew adopted me. They’re siblings, both didn’t marry, they actually wanted a boy to help out Matthew but I came by mistake and they decided to keep me’’ she explained 

‘’My parents are also dead, my mom died giving birth to me and my dad died a couple of years ago’’ he replied. ''Yay orphan club!'' he sarcastically said, as he extended his hand for her to fist pump

She fist-pumped him back making a little explosion effect. She used to do the exact same thing, try to lighten the mood when someone asked about her mom and dad. 

‘’So you’re all alone?’’ She asked, he usually hated it when someone showed pity for him, but her worried expression and tender eyes made it hard not to smile. 

‘’Actually, I went to work on a ship for a year, where I met my best friend Bash. We moved back here together’’ He explained.

‘’I’m glad you were able to find your kindred spirit’’ she said as she placed her arm on top of his comfortingly yet she couldn’t find it in herself to pull away and their hands stayed like that for the rest of the ride.

‘’We have arrived’’ he said as they both exited the car.

Gilbert and Anne were great conversationalists if they tried yet somehow their words flowed freely, as they walked they could accept when they talked over each other, they could accept the loud laughter, they could accept the silence…they accepted each other. 

‘’We’re here’’ Gilbert said, as he stopped in a what seemed rock hanging off the mountain it looked over the entire city, it wasn’t tall buildings and running cars that made the view so beautiful but the fields far ahead, that seemed to hint of something much greater something unknown to all of those walking through the streets.

‘’wow’’ Anne breathed out as she stared in amazement ‘’it's beautiful’’

‘’I found this place on accident, I figured if anyone would love it as much as me, it would be you’’ 

How right he was, Anne stared out into the horizon, little words of poetry playing in her head. SHe couldn't help but take out her phone and write down some lines. Anyone could tell she was an English major, her phone's notes app filled with millions of lines of poetry; always quoting books and reciting poetry. 

She smiled, in a way saying 'you get me' without really needing to say it. 

‘’What are men to rocks and mountains’’ she said simply, as Gilbert gave her a confused look ‘’Pride and Prejudice, have you heard of it? It's quite unpopular’’

He chuckled ‘’No doesn’t ring a bell, is it new?’’

Gilbert reached down and plucked a small white flower from the ground. Offering it to Anne, she gladly took it admiring the daisy-like flower. 

''How beautiful! I adore flowers like this'' she gushed.

''Its called the feverfew'' Gilbert noted.

Anne frowned as she observed the flower ''That's such an unromantic name for such a pretty flower, what about...'' she paused as she thought, biting her lower lip. The action making Gilbert hide a smile ''the flower of clouds'' she lit up as it came to her. 

Gilbert nodded in approval as he told her all about the medicinal purposes of the 'the flower of clouds', Anne listening intently excited about the new information. Gilbert loved talking about the uses of herbs, and Anne loved thinking up stories based on them. They worked perfectly together, both enjoying the new ideas and thoughts. 

They sat down at the edge feet dangling as they watched the clouds move, perhaps both caught in their own thoughts neither spoke. 

‘’That cloud looks like you’’ Anne pointed out as she giggled

‘’pfft I do not look like that, I am much more handsome’’ he grunted as he lightly pushed her shoulder. 

‘’You wish you were as good looking as cloud Gilbert’’ she remarked. 

‘’Really cause if I recall correctly, last night I was very hot’’ Gilbert teased, as their laughter died down, they stared at each other with longing, unaware that the other was staring back, just studying each other's faces. She searched for every hint of green in his hazel eyes, and he counted every freckle on her rosy cheeks. They would have stayed like this for hours if it wasn’t for the sound of rumbling feet and the approach of a hiker that snapped them back to reality. 

‘’We should um start heading back’’ Anne ruled as they both looked away hastily. They walked back to the parking as they idly chattered.

‘’Do you want to put on music?’’ Gilbert asked as they reached the car and got inside. 

Anne nodded, as she plugged in her phone and browsed through the songs, she finally settled on Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

Gilbert recognized the song immediately and smiled ‘’Good choice’’

‘’Gilbert this is a duet, I can not go into battle alone. Will you do me the honor of singing with me?’’ Anne remarked offering him the imaginery mike. 

‘’Not gonna happen!’’ he replied 

‘’Come on!’’

He laughed as he began singing ‘’Just small-town girl, living in a lonely world!’’

Anne cheered ''JUST A CITY BOY, BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH DETROIT

‘’wow you are awful’’ he laughed, she gasped dramatically and hit him in the arm. 

They had not yet reached the main road, the rocky road was surrounded by tall furs with high mountains looming from above. S

Anne opened her window and stuck out her hand, she meticulously touched the leaves of the trees they passed by, as she closed her eyes she allowed her hand to dance with the wind. Gilbert watched intently wondering how such a girl existed, her red hair that used to be neatly gathered in a ponytail had now fallen and cascaded over her shoulders gently blown by the wind. As Anne opened her eyes again, Gilbert turned back to looking straight ahead.

‘’WOOO’’ Anne yelled, as they both laughed ‘’Scream Gilbert!’’

He opened his window and stuck out his head ‘’WOOOO’’ 

‘’Doesn’t that give you a thrill?!?’’ Anne exclaimed cheerfully. 

Gilbert nodded, as they reached the road, the trees were no longer in sight and cars raced past them. They closed their windows and settled comfortably to singing music, and dancing, laughing when they looked at each other. 

They came in sight of the college and both, though did not express it were disappointed their time together had come to an end. 

‘’Thank you for today’’ 

‘’Yeah no, thank you- for accepting my invitation’’ Gilbert babbled as he ran his fingers through his hair, she smiled at him and once again they longingly stared at each other, hoping the other would do something, yet both unaware their feelings were being reciprocated, did nothing.

‘’See you later Gil’’


End file.
